Food Glorious Food hits new ratings low for Simon Cowell show

The Simon Cowell-produced cookery competition Food Glorious Food got off to a disappointing start on ITV1 – with one of the lowest viewing figures ever for a Cowell show.

According to overnight estimates the Carol Vorderman-fronted show – which sees amateur cooks from around the UK competing to have their recipe sold in Marks and Spencer – picked up an audience of just 2.7m when it was screened between 8 and 9pm.

And not only were the figures 2m below ITV’s average audience for that time of night but they were also beaten in the ratings by Holiday Hit Squad on BBC One, which picked up 3.8m viewers in the same timeslot.

By comparison Coronation Street, which was shown right before Food Glorious Food at 7.30pm, scored an audience of over 8m.

The ratings for Food Glorious Food are the latest blow for Cowell, following the slump in viewing figures for the most recent series of The X Factor in late 2012.